Abundance of Blessings

 Today, August 28th, 2025 is our 44th wedding anniversary. We had a simple ceremony in the country at my Aunt Cleo's house. We had no money, or at least not much money. Howard was living in a furnished apartment in Jonesboro, and I was renting a house in Lake City. With help from family and friends we managed to have a sweet, intimate wedding.  

Susie Malone Naysmith was gracious to supply photos, Kaye Tabor made my wedding dress and she and a friend provided music, Jim Kincade officiated, and my cousin Barbara Lancaster supplied the wedding decor. I truly don't remember who provided the wedding cake. Our "honeymoon" consisted of one night in a neighboring town and we celebrated at Shoney's with Hot Fudge Cake.

On the first day as a married couple we loaded up my furniture and drove to North Little Rock to move into a house we had already rented. We were so in love and had no idea how hard the next ten years would be as we dealt with all the ups and downs of  a blended family, but also had no idea the blessings that would follow in the remaining thirty years.

My husband has been gone almost five years, but that didn't stop life from moving on and it certainly has for our family. We've celebrated eight weddings, grieved two deaths, added seven great- grandchildren to the four we already had and added one granddaughter for a total of twenty-six.  My life is full and empty at the same time, full with so many events and empty because he isn't here to share them. I will always celebrate this day in August and remember how blessed I was to have such a beautiful marriage.

On Saturday, August 30th 2025 our granddaughter Mackenzie Hulen will marry David Tagg in Naples, Texas. This will be the ninth wedding in our family without him. My prayer is that they will treasure each other and build a life together that will be a witness for Jesus. As I watch this wedding, without him next to me, it will certainly bring to mind our own wedding forty-four years ago today.

When we said our vows in that house in the country, we had no idea what was waiting for us in the future, and honestly we weren't worried about it. We were just happy to start our lives together and I'm sure we thought we had so much time. When I watch a young couple say their vows with stars in their eyes I think they have no idea how fast the days and years will go. I want to tell them to savor each moment, even the hard ones, take photos, lots of photos, do simple things together, pray for each other, say  I love you daily and above all be thankful for your marriage.

James 4:14 Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

God's Word tells us we are only here for a "little time." Make the most of every day!

 Happy Anniversary to us, I miss you, but treasure every memory.